How to vet a yoga wear supplier: 12 checks before you pay a deposit

Most bad yoga-wear orders are not ruined in production. They are ruined in the twenty minutes before you send a deposit — when nobody checks who is actually going to make the garment.

We quote for brands that are moving from a trading-platform seller to their own label, so we see the same failure patterns every month. Here are the twelve checks worth doing, in the order that saves the most money.

1. Find out who is actually cutting and sewing

Ask a direct question: “Which unit will cut and sew this order, and can I see it?” A trading company will name a partner factory; a manufacturer will name a workshop inside their own site. Neither answer is wrong — but you need to know which one you are buying from, because it changes who is accountable when a carton arrives short.

Red flag: a supplier who cannot name the unit, or who becomes vague when you ask for a photo of the cutting table with your fabric on it.

2. Check the business registration

In China, every legitimate company has an 18-digit unified social credit code, and it is public. Ask for it and confirm it appears on the invoice and the bank account name. If the code, the invoice and the bank account belong to three different companies, you are dealing with a broker and your deposit has no paper trail.

3. Ask for the fabric mill, not just the fabric name

“75/25 nylon-spandex, 230 gsm” describes a category, not a fabric. Two mills can produce the same spec with completely different recovery, opacity and pilling behaviour. Ask which mill supplies the greige, whether the fabric is in stock or knitted to order, and how much is on hand for your colour.

This single question predicts your lead time better than any promise on a proforma invoice.

4. Demand a physical sample — and test it

Photos are marketing. A 30 cm square of the actual fabric tells you more than a lookbook. When the sample arrives, run four tests:

  • Squat test — stretch the fabric over your hand under a bright light and look for show-through. If it is even slightly translucent at full stretch, it will be a return on a legging.
  • Recovery test — stretch it to 150% and hold for 30 seconds, release, wait two minutes. It should return to shape with no ripples at the edge.
  • Wash test — wash at 40°C, tumble dry low, three times. Check for pilling at the crotch seam and colour shift against the original swatch.
  • Seam test — pull the four-needle-six-thread seam apart. Stitching should stretch with the fabric without snapping; if the thread breaks before the fabric, the seam will fail in wear.

5. Look at the seam construction, not the print

On a yoga legging, the seam is the product. Ask for: four-needle six-thread (4N6T) on the rise and inner leg, flatlock on the waistband, and a gusset. A supplier who quotes “overlock everywhere” is quoting a cheaper garment than the one in your reference photo.

6. Ask what the MOQ is per colour, not per style

The headline number is usually per style. If you want three colours and the MOQ is “100 pieces”, you may be committing to 300. Confirm: MOQ per style, MOQ per colour, and the upcharge for a Pantone match — typically 300 pieces per colour with a small dye-lot premium.

7. Get the sample and bulk lead times separately

Sampling in 3–5 days on an existing block is normal. Bulk in 25–35 days is normal. What matters is what happens when the fabric is not in stock — ask for the lead time on a colour that has to be dyed, and for a repeat order. A supplier whose bulk time does not move for a repeat order is either holding stock or guessing.

8. Ask for the last three QC reports

Any supplier running AQL 2.5 should be able to send a redacted report — defect categories, pass rate, the inspection date. If they have never produced one, the “we check everything” line is marketing.

9. Check the certifications match the claim

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is issued per fabric and per mill, not per trading company. Ask for the certificate number and check whether the certified article covers the fabric you are buying. ISO 9001 covers a management system at a named site — ask which site.

10. Confirm the payment structure in writing

30% deposit and 70% against the bill of lading copy is standard. Anything asking for 100% before production, or a deposit into a personal account, is a stop sign. Ask for the proforma invoice with the company’s full legal name, bank name, account number and SWIFT.

11. Ask who owns the pattern

If you pay for a new pattern, get it in writing that the pattern, graded size set and tech pack are yours and will be handed over on request. Otherwise you are renting your own product development.

12. Test the response time before you order

Send a technical question — not “what is your price”, but “what is the recovery percentage after five washes on your 230 gsm 75/25”. The answer, and how long it takes, tells you what the next twelve months will feel like.

The short version

CheckWhat a good answer looks like
Production unitA named site, photos on request, a person accountable
RegistrationCredit code matches invoice and bank account
Fabric sourceNamed mill, stock quantity, dye-to-order lead time
SamplePhysical swatch, passes squat, recovery and wash tests
Seams4N6T at stress points, flatlock waistband, gusset
MOQQuoted per style and per colour, Pantone upcharge stated
Lead timesSample, bulk and repeat quoted separately
QCAQL 2.5 report shared, third-party inspection welcome
CertificatesNumber issued to the mill or site, covers your fabric
Payment30/70, company account, proforma with SWIFT
Pattern ownershipYours in writing, with the graded set
ResponsivenessTechnical questions answered with numbers

None of these checks requires a factory visit. They take about a week of emails and one courier envelope, and they are the cheapest insurance in the whole project.

Browse the 288 styles we hold or send us a brief — we will answer with fabric data, MOQ and lead times rather than a price list.